The two most high-profile Little Rock-based fashion events - Designers Choice Fashion Preview and Little Rock Fashion Week - have both expanded into other states.
On Nov. 23, Designers Choice held its third Dallas Edition at the Dallas World Trade Center. The event, which blossomed from 500-plus attendees to more than 1,100 in 2013, grew from the popularity of the Little Rock event held each spring at the Metroplex. “We were contacted by a number of designers and people outside of the Arkansas market that were interested in us bringing the show to their city,” says its founder, Theresa Timmons.
Timmons is also founder and president of the Timmons Arts Foundation, whose mission is to restore visual arts and music education in public schools and which provided a grant to the city’s W.T. White High School in 2012. This year, an instrument was provided to a qualifying student at Balch Springs Middle School in Dallas.
One or two designers from the Little Rock show are selected each year to participate in Designers Choice Fashion Preview-Dallas edition. This year, Little Rock designers Shonda Stroud Ali-Shamaa and Aaliyah Fisher participated in Designers Choice Dallas. Arkansan Korto Momolu, the three-time Project Runway reality-show star, participated in Designers Choice’s inaugural Little Rock show in March 2007 and has been a part of the Designers Choice Fashion Preview brand since.
In 2014, Designers Choice will make its debut in a third city, Atlanta. Meanwhile, discussions are also being had to take the show to South Africa, Timmons says.
Little Rock Fashion Week founder Brandon Campbell, meanwhile, announced on Dec. 5 the birth of Oneofakind Baton Rouge Fashion Week, scheduled for Feb. 10-15 in the Louisiana capital city. Campbell has partnered with Capitol Park Museum for the event, whose proceeds will benefit the Louisiana Museum Foundation and college scholarships.
“A couple of years ago, I began receiving requests from officials at other cities about establishing fashion weeks in their communities,” Campbell says.
Foundation officials plan to use the funds to repair Battle of New Orleans military uniforms for a bicentennial exhibition opening in early 2015. In the meantime, Oneofakind Baton Rouge Fashion Week hopes to fulfill its mission of bringing people and communities together, promoting designers and artists, and encouraging economic growth and development in the Baton Rouge metro area. Designers’ spring/summer fashions, expositions, musical performances and exclusive events will be featured.
Campbell founded Little Rock Fashion Week in 2009.It, too, has grown, showcasing more than 75 fashion labels by local, national and international designers. “Bringing people together to support each other and be entertained through fashion is important,” he says.
The model casting will be from 5-8 p.m. Jan. 10 and from 2-5 p.m. Jan. 11 at Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth St. in Baton Rouge. For more information, visit BatonRougeFashionWeek.com.
SEEKING LOYAL CUSTOMERS
Suzzette Tyler of Little Rock announces her jewelry and accessories line, Kay Lloyalty. Her inventory, some of which is handmade, includes bold necklaces she forged from large chains, crystal pendants and broken-glass mirrored pieces; extra-long, multistrand chains that can be worn multiple ways; big geometric earrings; caps (some accented with bows, chains, mirrors andstatus words); and Razorback gear (bowties, chokers, earrings, bracelets). High-profile Little Rock musician Rodney Block has been sporting some Kay Lloyalty “spiked specs” fashion glasses.
Kay Lloyalty prices range from $10-$20. And Tyler is seeking party hosts and independent consultants, as well as businesses to carry the line. The company has a website in the works and a toll-free number forthcoming; for more information and to view the line for now, visit Kay Lloyalty on Facebook.com.
NAILING IT
They say you never forget your first love. I never forgot my first nail technician.
Vietnam native Tony Le was featured in my Sept. 22 feature story about acrylic nails and nail designs. At the time, Tony was co-proprietor of Esprit de Nails, located in North Little Rock’s McCain Plaza shopping center. I continued to use his services after the story ran.
In April 1996 Tony opened a new salon called Nails, Naturally, located in a shopping center at John F. Kennedy and McCain boulevards. He later moved to a building he bought, at 4121 John F. Kennedy Blvd. on a bluff just above the parking lot of what is now Savers. In 2005, Tony left for other pursuits while relatives ran the salon. In September, he returned to the business, revamped it and renamed it My Nail! Salon & Spa, which he operates with younger brother Dennis Le.
His thorough workmanship has not been surpassed by any other nail tech I’ve used. And his nail designs still rock.
My Nail! specializes in artificial nail enhancement, nail art designs, natural nail care,spa pedicure packages and gel polishes. Prices vary, but an acrylic set is $25, a fill $15 and designs, $5 for two. Spa pedicures are also $25. The shop’s telephone number is (501) 771-2661. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit mynailsalonandspa.com.
MODEL CALL
Male and female runway and host models are being sought for the second production of the Red Shoe Extravaganza, a fashion show sponsored by the Arkansas Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Association and which made its debut this year. A casting call will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Metroplex, 10800 Colonel Glenn Road. Each modeling hopeful should have a head shot or comp card; women must have heels. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. For more information, call (501) 366-6160.
The show itself - a fundraiser for the association’s “Walking Away From Childhood Obesity” initiative - will be held Feb. 1, also at the Metroplex. More details soon.IN THE PINK
Put away all your “Emerald City”-colored fashionables. The Pantone color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid, according to a recent announcement by the color institute.
Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone executive director, extols Radiant Orchid as “an enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones” that “inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health.”
Think Barney, getting in touch with his feminine side.
According to a Parade magazine story, “Pantone predicts the color will be popular in fashion, beauty, and interior design in 2014, calling the hue a ‘modern and surprisingly versatile shade’ that can be worn by men and women.” Suggested color partners: teal, light yellow, gray, beige and taupe.
Dressing Room is published biweekly. Got fashion and beauty news? Contact Helaine R. Williams, Dressing Room, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72201, or email: hwilliams@arkansasonline.com
High Profile, Pages 37 on 12/22/2013